Lace-curtain-exhibiting apparatus.



PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

J. P. MUMFORD. LACE CURTAIN EXHIBITINGAPPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 23, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNEE INYENTUH: fl

No. 813,165. PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

J. F. MUMFORD.

LACE CURTAIN EXHIBITING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 23, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTE/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK ISLAND.

F. FANNING, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE LACE-CURTAIN-E XHI BITING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, ieoe.

Application filed June 28, 1906. Serial No. 286,651.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MUMFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lace-Curtain-Exhibiting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in apparatus for exhibiting purposes, and more particularly to an improvement in apparatus for exhibitin lace curtains.

In the usual way of exiibiting lace curtains to the prospective buyer the seller unfolds the curtain and spreads it out on the counter or holds it up for the buyers inspection, then refolds and packs the curtain away. By this method the curtain is not shown to the best advantage and is damaged more or less the handlin The 0 ject of my invention is to provide an apparatus having means for exhi iting lace curtains to better advantage and more expeditiously (without handling the curtains) than has heretofore been done.

A further object of my invention is to provide such an apparatus with means for holding a plurality of lace curtains.

A still further object of my invention is to provide such an apparatus with means for inclosing the lace curtains to protect the same from dust or other extraneous substances.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of an apparatus for exhibiting lace curtains without handlin the same, said apparatus having means for Iiolding' a plurality of lace curtains, for exhibiting a curtain to the best advantage, and for protecting the curtains from dust or other foreign substances, with details of construction, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus for exhibiting lace curtains, showing the top and side curtains pulled to one end into the position they would assume when the apparatus is in use, thus showing the lace-curtain holders removably supported on a central track in the apparatus with one holder placed in the position for exhibiting a lace curtain to the best advantage. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the apparatus with the top and side curtains in the closed position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end of a curtainholder, showing the clamping-bar in the open position for receiving the end of a lace curtain. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the means for supporting the top and side curtains on the frame of the apparatus, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the means for securing the end curtains to the frame of the apparatus.

v In the drawings, a indicates the frame; I), the track for supporting the curtain-holders; c c, the curtainolders; d and e e, curtainrods for supporting the top curtain; ff, curtain-rods for supporting the side curtains; g, the top curtain; h h, the side curtains, and it the end curtains of my improved apparatus for exhibiting lace curtains.

The frame (1 comprises the vertical end supports a, a, secured to the base-pieces a a at their lower ends and supporting the cross-arms a a on their upper ends. The end supports a a are secured together b the top bar a and the bottom bar a an the whole still further strengthened by securing the ends of the rods 0. and d and the ends of the track I) to the end supports a a, as shown in Fig. 1. The cross-arms a a are each constructed to su port the curtain-rods e e and ff, the ends oi the rods being secured to the ends of the cross-arms, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cross-arms a a are secured centrally to the inside of the end supports a (1,, adjacent their upper ends, by screws 'or other means.

The track 1) consists of a round bar extending the length of the apparatus adjacent the top and secured at each end to the end supports a a, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lace-curtain holders 0 0 each consist of the clamping-bars c 0, having at each end the clamping-bolts c c with the thumb-nuts 0 0 A grooved pulley c is rotatably secured in the hook-shaped frame 0 having the L'-shaped lower end 0 pivotally secured by the loose rivet c to the plate 0 which in turn is centrally secured to the top clampingbar 0 by screws or other means. A shade c constructed, preferably, of cloth in the form the lower clamping-bar c, as shown in Fig. 3.

The curtains g, h h, and i t are all made of some flexible material, such as cloth. The top curtain g is secured at one end to the cross-arm a and at the other end to the bar g.

of a rectangle, is secured at its upper end to This bar is supported on the curtain-rods e c secured to the'curtain, and t e outer portions from the rods e e by the rings g g, secured to the curtain,- as shown in, Fig. 2. A cord 9 .18 secured to the bar g and passes over the pulley g, secured to the left-hand end support a, and a cord 9 is secured to the bar g and passes over the pulley 9 secured to the right-hand end support a, as shown ln-Flg. By pulling on the cord 9 the top curtamg 1s opened, and by ulling on the cord 9 the to curtain is closed The two side curtains k are each sup orted from the curtain-rodsf f by the rings it h, as shown in Fig. 2, and the end curtains i t are each secured at the upper end to a cross-arm a as shown in Fig. 5. The curtains when closed form an inclosure ca able of holding a plurality of the curtainholders 0 c and protecting the same from dust. In the use of my improved apparatus for exhibiting lace curtains the upper end of a lace curtain is inserted between the clamping-bars c c of the holder 0 and secured by tightening the thumb-nuts 0 0 The lace curtain now lies flat against the shade c", which may be of any color desired. The holder 0 with the lace curtain is now placed in the apparatus by hooking the pu ley 0 over thetrack b, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and these operations are repeated until the apparatus is filled with the holders lying flat against each other, leaving sufficient space, as shown in Fig. 1, for revolving'a holder to exhibit a particular curtain. As all the holders are easily moved lengthwise on the track b, any lace curtains desired may be immediately exhibited under practically all the conditions of shade, light, or color that they would have in actual use, thus giving to the buyer advantages not heretofore attained.

If thought desirable, two lace curtains could be secured to one holder, one on each side of the shade 0, thus increasing the capacity of the apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent a shade secured to the lower clampin -bar, a

hook-shaped frame pivotally secure to the c amping-bars toget er to clamp the en of a lace curtain between the same, and curtains on the frame adapted to inclose the lace-curtain holders, as described.

2. An apparatus for exhibiting lace curtains comprisin a frame, a track secured at each end in the ame, a plurality of lace-curtain holders removably suspended from the track, each holder having two clampingbars, a shade secured bar, a hook-shaped frame pivotally secured to the upper clampin -bar, a pulley rotatably secured in the hook-s aped frame, means for securing the clamping-bars together to clamp the end of a lace curtain between the bars, curtain-rods on the frame, and means for suspending top, side and end curtains fromthe curtain-rods and frame in a position to inclose the lace-curtain holders, asdescribed.

'ulpper clamping-barilmeans for securing'the tothe lower clamping- 3. In an apparatus for exhibiting lace curtalns, the combination of a track 11 secured at each end in the apparatus and a lace-curtain holder 0 consisting of clamping-bars c c having at each end clamping-bolts c c with thumb-nuts c 0 a grooved pulley c, a hookshaped frame c having an L-shaped lower end a pivotally secured bya loose rivet c to a plate a which is centrally secured to the top clamping-bar c, a shade 0 secured at its upper end to the lower clamping-bar c, and means for rotatably securing the pulley c in the hook-shaped frame 0 whereby a lace curtain is secured to the holder 0 and the holder removably suspended from the track I), as described.

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. MUMFORD.

Witnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER, Jr.

s1 gned my presence of 

